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Lawsuit faults boat’s design in Palm Valley crash

A lawyer for three survivors of a fatal Easter boat crash in Palm Valley has sued the vessel’s manufacturer, saying its bow-rider design is inherently unsafe.

Francis and Joshua Moore and Jamie Hole, all of California, were seriously injured when the Crownline 225BR they were passengers on struck a tugboat moored in the Intracoastal Waterway, according to the product liability lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Jacksonville.

Five people died and nine more were injured in the crash north of the Palm Valley bridge.

Attorney Rod Sullivan, who represented the Moores, Hole and two other injured passengers, said Crownline promotes the 225BR as capable of safely transporting 12 people, but that means five people have to sit in the bow well forward of the boat’s windscreen. He said several states, including Florida, along with the U.S. Coast Guard criticize bow-riding as unsafe.

“It’s just not safe to ride forward of the windscreen on a boat traveling 30 to 35 mph,” Sullivan said. “It blocks the driver’s view and subjects those riding in the bow to being ejected.”

Francis Moore and Hole were thrown from the boat and into the side of the tug, the lawsuit says. Joshua Moore was launched into the windscreen. He was released from the hospital Saturday, and Sullivan said Hole is scheduled to be released today. Francis Moore remains hospitalized with head injuries, Sullivan said.

Though there were 14 passengers, Sullivan said that didn’t contribute to the accident. He said witnesses told him the boat driver’s view was obstructed by people on the bow. The woman driving the boat was chosen for that role because she was sober, Sullivan said.

Sullivan didn’t rule out further litigation involving other causes of action.

“This cause of action appeared clear,” Sullivan said. He represents two other survivors; the rest are represented by different lawyers.